


Anteiku is burning down

by spookyscaryiwachan



Series: Firefighters [1]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, fluff-ish, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 17:12:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12370272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyscaryiwachan/pseuds/spookyscaryiwachan
Summary: Firefighter au. Anteiku is on fire, and Kaneki needs to help.





	Anteiku is burning down

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little different for me, I guess

Before anything, he sees the smoke cloud the air.

It's a cafe. On fire. Having responded to countless building fires before, Kaneki knows what to do, hoping his experience will come in handy.

-

Grumbling under her breath, Touka makes her way upstairs, going to retrieve some supplies for Hinami, who is sitting at the bar, reading. Today had been her only day off, and it was so busy that they called her in. Now everyone is closing the store, and Touka feels sorer than ever, walking around so much. All of the staff is downstairs, resting, taking the break that been neglected all day. Something's off, however, Touka peering around cautiously.

The first thing she smells is smoke.

-

Luckily, an employees runs out, a woman - with long, black hair. She had been the closest to the door, and is able to give an exact count of the staff still inside. However, the building is unstable, and they'll need to act quickly.

'Go in pairs.' Chief Amon suggests, no one arguing with him. The team disperse, some staying outside to deal with the actual fire, three pairs entering the building.

'Come on!' Nishiki shouts, Kaneki trailing behind him. As always, the heat is strong when they enter, and they cough at the smoke. Going deeper, Kaneki manages to see a man with a large nose being carried off, though he didn't seem in bad condition. Good, that's three more.

A young girl is there, hiding beneath the bar, holding a book to her chest. Monochrome Rainbow - Takatsuki Sen. Kaneki would be impressed had it not been for their situation. Nishiki grabs her, and he feels relieved.

There should be two more left, unless they're already out, knowing he has to put his trust in the other pairs.

'Is that everyone?!' Nishiki shouts, slinging Hinami over his shoulder. Her eyes are falling slightly, weakly coughing. Looking around him, then at Nishiki, and the girl, who's murmuring something.

'What is it?' He asks, softly, kneeling next to her, trying to get as close as possible.

'Is there anyone else?' He guesses, desperate. If there is, they need to get to them now. Nodding slightly, she tries to speak up, despite the burn of her throat.

'Onee-chan... went upstairs.' Both of their eyes widen, shocked. The heat is suffocating, and Kaneki can still see moisture in the small girl's eyes.

'Where?' They demand, hastily, their time decreasing.

'In- in the break room. Upstairs.' He's not sure where it is, but it'll have to make do. They didn't know about someone being upstairs, and he doubts the other pairs know about the possible presence. They had received blueprints of the building structure, but Kaneki had simply skimmed over it, wanting to help as soon as he could.

'And is it just her.' Her head moves, indicating yes - thank god.

'Get her out of here! I'll only be a minute.' He shouts. Another crash ensures, and before Nishiki can tell him it's stupid, that he should have someone with him, Kaneki is gone.

Trying to pry open the door, she curses when her fingernail catches, and rips. With an urgency, she bangs on the door, screaming even when her throat becomes hoarse. She can't die here, people still need her. Ayato can't be left alone, not when their parents are dead. And Hinami, did she get out safely?

'Please!' She shouts, 'Anyone!' She hopes everyone is safe, that she won't lose any of her family, even if they lose her.

Her clothes are covered in ash, and the fire is too close for her liking. The smokes fills her lungs, and she chokes on it, the oxygen thinning. She feels sick.

Giving up, she knows her consciousness is waning as she drags herself across the floor.

I'm going to die.

Desperate, she grasp her mother's wedding band, feeling the familiar grooves of their engraved names, praying to them that she'll live.

'Hello.' She hears, and the break of the door next to her. It's a stranger, most likely a fireman.

'In here!' She shouts, scratching at the door. Hearing the footsteps approaching, her fists rap violently, thankful when she knows he is on the other side.

'Are you alright?' He screams, and suddenly the smoke seems heavier.

'Yeah. It just... the door's blocked. I can't open it.'

That's not good.

He can't wait for backup, he knows that, so he crashes his shoulder against the door, ignoring the heat. The first attempt doesn't work, neither does the second, and the third, so he continuously throws himself, growing more desperate. The woman's knocks are becoming less frequent, his urgency increasing. There's no way he will let anyone die, and he stumbles when the door finally opens, with a crash.

There's a body on the floor, wracking with coughs. Her head is in her sleeve, and he quickly picks her up, holding her to his chest. Staring at him, she tries to speak, opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

'Is everyone out?' She finally manages, her head rolling slightly.

'Everyone is safe.' He's sure.

Something is in her hand, he realises, something gold and shiny.

'What's that?' He needs to keep her talking as he manoeuvres the building, making sure nothing collapses. There is a pause, and he's worried. She coughs.

'It's my p-parent's ring. It means a lot to me.' So she lost her parents, he understands. Despite how much he adds to the conversation, she is growing weaker, and he notices the object slipping from her fingers. He quickly catches it, and, noticing no pockets in her uniform, puts it in his. He'll have to return it to her soon.

Going down the stairs, he gasps when one catches his foot, pinning her to the wall for balance. They are face to face, and he focuses on the dreariness of her single eye. She also seems to be a similar age to him. Confused, she notes the paleness of his hair, and the care laced in his gaze. Had anyone ever looked at her like that?

Quick to recover, he picks her up again, stepping into the smoke. On the bottom floor, he can't see anything, cradling her head so she doesn't inhale as much smoke. She is limp in his arms, and he tries to feel around him, finding an exit.

'I'll get you out of this, okay?' He promises, but she doesn't reply. He brushes against a handle, feeling hope. Stumbling through the back door, into the alleyway, he chokes on the freshness of the air, trying to get to the ambulances at the front.

They take her, placing her on a stretcher, immediately putting an oxygen mask on her, the woman's eyes fluttering. Her hand clutches his, and he accidentally lets go when Nishiki slaps him on the back, telling him what an idiot he is, and to get himself checked up. Head whipping around, he is extremely relieved when he counts four people - the amount that were left in the building . The only person he doesn't recognise is an old man calmly watching the scene, approaching Kaneki.

'Thank you for helping us.' He bows, leaving, and Kaneki watches the rest of the building collapse, feeling a sorrow he doesn't understand.

-

The walls are white, disgustingly so, and the first sight Touka sees when she wakes up. Next to her, Hinami holds her hand, dressed in blackened clothes.

'Onee-chan!' She gasps, hugging her tight.

Letting out a cough, she immediately detaches herself from Touka, apologising.

'What happened?' Touka asks groggily, her throat burning. She remembers orange, and heat, and smoke, Anteiku burning. Hinami freezes, her voice becoming shaky.

'W-well, when the fire broke out, you... the door got blocked. And i-it took a while to get you out.' She finished, but Touka had stopped paying attention long ago.

'Anteiku's gone?' An uncomfortable silence overtakes them, both downcast. Hinami shuffles her feet.

'H-how?'

'They don't know.' Her voice is meek, clinging onto Touka's sleeve. 'Onee-chan, I'm really tired.'

'Then go home.' Her voice is gentle, cradling Hinami 'Get some sleep.'

'But I want to stay with you! The doctors said they needed to keep you overnight for observation, and I don't want to leave you.'

'You should stay with Ayato.' She adds, grabbing her attention 'He'll be lonely.'

'You know, onee-chan, he was here earlier, wanting to see you, but you weren't awake yet, so he went home.' At least he came to visit her, and she feels guilty for being unconscious. Having been at the apartment when the accident happened, he must've been worried.

'Okay.' Hinami is reluctant, sniffling, and Touka is left alone.

The next day they released her from the hospital, and she immediately goes to see the manager.

Smiling at her with pity, Yoshimura tells her that they will rebuild, but she knows that he is grieving. She goes home after that. When she arrives she gives her greetings to Ayato, going to her room.

Looking at her empty hand, she misses the ring's texture, staring at its print on her palm. She had held it tightly. Her breath stills, and her lungs are closing up, tears welling. How could she be so stupid, losing her most precious belonging.

Curling up on her bed, she feels empty, having nothing to soothe her.

-

Anteiku engulfed in fire - that can't be her last memory of the place. The crackle of the fire still haunts her, and she decides to see it in its current state, needing some closure, or to say goodbye.

Yomo offers to go with her, but she politely declines. He wasn't there when the accident occurred, and she would rather go alone. Grabbing her hoodie, she follows the familiar path to her workplace, ashes in the air. She breaks into a light jog.

Her breath hitches when she arrives, feeling cold. It's destroyed, but it's not like she expected anything else. Drowning out everything, she can hear the heavy thump of her heart, and feels like it's stuck in her throat.

Shaking her head, she watches as they clear the area, catching the interested conversations of the public.

'That was a coffee shop, wasn't it?'

'Yeah, the fire was terrible, nothing was salvaged.'

'That's too bad, I heard they sold good coffee.'

She turns away, trying to ignore it. Nothing would bring back Anteiku, not the sympathy of strangers, not even her memories of the place. Wanting to cry, she tries to reminisce, but everything comes up blank. Ayato was supposed to start working there soon, with her, though he protested. It made her chuckle at the time, telling him that he was so lazy, but now that would never happen.

A familiar voice jolts her.

'Come on, come on, bring that here.' He's gesturing to a crane, transporting a piece of the demolished building to the others, where it will be dumped. In the mess she can see a coffee machine, broken glass, and some stools.

This is what's left of Anteiku.

Averting her eyes, she is startled when the man is suddenly next to her, losing her balance in the process. With quick reflexes (from his training), he is quick to steady her.

'Sorry.' She coughs, getting a better look at him. She pauses, recognising him. It seems he does too, his eyes fixing on her.

'Are you alright?' Both know he is referring to the accident, and she recalls him saying those exact words to her.

Licking her lips, there is a sudden dryness in her mouth. 'Y-yeah, you really saved us back there.' They pause, and Kaneki had long forgotten the help he was supposed to be giving.

'Can I ask for your name, otherwise I wouldn't be thanking you properly.' She is blushing slightly. Despite the heat from the building, she had experienced a whole kind of different warmth from when he held her. It made her feel stupid.

'Kaneki Ken.'

'Thank you, Kaneki-san.'

'Kaneki is fine.' Also flushing slightly, he notices how close they are, their shoulders touching. 'And you?' His voice is uncertain, like he doesn't have the privilege of asking.

'Kirishima Touka.' She flashes him a smile, one that has him staring. Something about him is comforting, and she doesn't know what.

Letting out a small nod of acknowledgement, his cheeks go redder, to her confusion. He had actually visited her in the hospital, making sure she was okay. For him, it's an important thing, to check up on the people he has helped. He had read her file, her name lingering with him.

Touka Kirishima. It suits her, he had thought, blushing to himself. Is it inappropriate to think that about strangers? Probably.

Without the direness of the situation, he focuses on her features. The hospital had cleaned her up, and he notices that she's actually quite cute. But now, she only looks sad, trying to deal with the loss of her workplace.

Suddenly remembering what had come into his possession, he jumps, puzzling her. Fishing in his pocket, he silently rejoices when he feels something cool.

'I think,' he began, pulling out the object 'that this is yours.' The light glints against it, and Touka can only stare wide eyed, her hand shakily reaching for it. There wasn't a chain on it before, was there? Something prickles in the back of her mind, feeling water trailing slowly down her cheeks.

'Kirishima-san, are you alright?'

'Touka.' She corrected, hanging her head down. This man had saved her life, and preserved the only memory she had of her parents - he didn't need to bother with formality.

'T-Touka-chan?' The name rolled off his tongue smoothly, satisfying. It's what he called her in his mind, not able to think of her as 'Kirishima-san'.

'Are you sure you're okay?' It's a stupid question, but he can't think of anything else to say. It's probably aftershock, he thinks. He had heard that Anteiku took in orphans, or misfits, trying to give them a better life, and she had just lost that life.

'No I'm fine, really.' Tears were running down her face, Touka hopelessly trying to wipe them away, more coming. He watches in shock, not knowing what to do. Seconds later, he decided to wrap his arms around her, keeping her trembling body stable. They remain in comfortable silence, Kaneki comforting her the best he could.

'Thank you,' she cries, latching onto him. 'Thank you so much.' Rambling her gratitude against his chest, his heart warms. No-one had ever treated him like this, like they were truly glad he was there. His grip on her tightens.

They are so close that Kaneki can hear her heart thrum, and take in her scent. The hint of smoke lingers on her, though it had been several days. Behind that, she smells flowery, sweet, natural, and he closes his eyes, savouring it. He rubs his thumbs beneath her eyes, taking away the tears.

'It's my job.'

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading (this isn't my favourite work)


End file.
